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      07-29-2011, 05:50 PM   #1
jameselee
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How often has your 135 asked for more oil?

I have just over 9k miles, and my car has asked for oil twice now.

The first was a few months ago, after I just picked up a friend and was getting ready (thankfully) to go for a drive (I'd had a pretty mellow drive up to that point). The second was the other day as I was leaving work.

I've never seen any evidence of leaking. I drive reasonably hard from time to time, but not abusively so. It's mostly having fun when I'm first in light at a stop light, or when my daughter says "go fast, Daddy!" going up the hill on the way to her school.

Fortunately, I bought 2 quarts the first time & left the 2nd in my trunk, but now I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just always have a quart with me.

What have your experiences been? At what point should I be concerned?
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      07-29-2011, 05:51 PM   #2
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Mine ate one quart before its first oil change. Picture perfect since then, 60K miles later.
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      07-29-2011, 06:12 PM   #3
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I change my oil every 7000 miles and was low once at that mark. So I guess 1qt every 7k miles.
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      07-29-2011, 08:07 PM   #4
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This is my first BMW that actually "uses" oil. Not even my '04 M3 that I drive pretty hard has ever used any. I always check the level in the 135i and add some when it starts to go down. Have never waited until the car tells me that it is a full quart low.
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      07-29-2011, 09:52 PM   #5
RPM90
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jameselee View Post
I have just over 9k miles, and my car has asked for oil twice now.

The first was a few months ago, after I just picked up a friend and was getting ready (thankfully) to go for a drive (I'd had a pretty mellow drive up to that point). The second was the other day as I was leaving work.

I've never seen any evidence of leaking. I drive reasonably hard from time to time, but not abusively so. It's mostly having fun when I'm first in light at a stop light, or when my daughter says "go fast, Daddy!" going up the hill on the way to her school.

Fortunately, I bought 2 quarts the first time & left the 2nd in my trunk, but now I'm starting to wonder if I shouldn't just always have a quart with me.

What have your experiences been? At what point should I be concerned?
I've had 2 BMW's, an E46 325i and my current 135i.
Both had their first oil changes around 12K. The NA 325i was about 1 quart low at around 7K, but after the first oil change it was only about 1/2 quart low by the next 12/13K oil change.
My 135i was about 1 quart low by it's first change as well, but now at 18K it's not even at a 1/2 quart.

Generally, from experience and what other NA BMW owners have said, after the 1st change and some miles, the engine "uses" very little oil.
Turbo's in general tend to "use" more oil due to the increased pressures and heat they operate within. It would not be out of the question for a turbo to need a quart between 5-10k miles.
My turbo has done better than that, but if it needed a quart every 10K it wouldn't bother me.

Also, most BMW engines have nearly 50% more oil than most other engines; BMW 7 quarts, others around 5 quarts.
BMW likes to bathe the whirrly bits nicely.
Simply due to the fact that BMW engines have nearly 50% more oil easily allows it to go 50% longer before changes in other engines.

If one likes to change their oil at 5 to 7K for typical 5 quart engines, you can easily go 7500 to 10K miles with a BMW engine.
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      07-30-2011, 06:09 AM   #6
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^thats true. Most 5.0s come with 5quarts.

I spaced minemom my 2000 Mountaineer with the Ford racing 7 quart pan for similar reasons.
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      07-30-2011, 06:41 AM   #7
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36,000 miles, with oil changes every 7,500 and never had it show low.
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      07-30-2011, 07:14 AM   #8
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36,000km in 3 yrs.
Just had the 3rd oil change.
Only one time did the oil gauge showed it is not full right before the oil change.
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      07-30-2011, 08:00 AM   #9
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      07-30-2011, 08:56 AM   #10
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At 10,000 km (6,000 miles) it was down to the add mark - I changed oil, rather than add. Since then annual oil changes with no noticeable drop in oil level between changes. So in 3-1/2 years and at 27,000 km (17,000 miles) has never had oil added.

I drive it light, I still have all 4 original tires. My guess is that adding oil could be correlated to tire wear.
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      07-30-2011, 11:24 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lester View Post
I drive it light, I still have all 4 original tires. My guess is that adding oil could be correlated to tire wear.
Interesting thought. I just switched to PSS at 36,000km. I guess I am not that lead-footed after all.
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      07-30-2011, 12:44 PM   #12
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Would think the oil changing frequency has more to do with the filter than the amount of oil in the pan. Amsoil has some filters where you send you oil away to be tested, believe oil changes are more like 20k than 10k and does not make any difference on how many quarts/liters your engine holds
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      07-30-2011, 03:36 PM   #13
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First "add 1 litre" message at about 5,000km, subsequent ones between oil changes have been longer. Car now has just over 30,000km, doesn't seem to be using enough oil to need to add any between 12,500km or so change interval.
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      07-30-2011, 04:01 PM   #14
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Never in 3 yrs, 44600 miles
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      07-31-2011, 09:56 AM   #15
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havent had to
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      07-31-2011, 10:52 AM   #16
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Don't think i remember that ever happening...23k miles and 3 years
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      07-31-2011, 10:39 PM   #17
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I drive my car really hard and I had to add a quart at 9k miles, now I'm at 13,500 and I'm a little less than half a quart low.*
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      07-31-2011, 10:57 PM   #18
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      08-01-2011, 09:30 AM   #19
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8559 miles no oil need so far.
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      08-01-2011, 10:41 AM   #20
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Once after the first 10,000 miles, and not since. I have 13,000 now.
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      08-01-2011, 06:41 PM   #21
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No low oil signs, but I change mine every six thousand miles.
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      09-01-2011, 12:57 AM   #22
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Had it happen to me tonight for the first time 60 miles into a 205 mile trip from MI to OH, 8500 miles into ownership. 1 quart made the car happy again.
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